Automatic train pipe connecter



Jan. 9, 1934. J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed Sept. 26, 1929 Y m I. w i 7 D W A d I E 6 W w 1 Z 2 4 m w c w 5 r I l nlL I 2 8 Ill 6 III. .I a B A 8 In? I I ll 5 a 7 A I} I 9 j m n.

Patented Jan. Q, 1934 UNEE FFECE Joseph Robinson, New York, N. Y., assigner of one-half to Roy M. Wolvin, Montreal, Quebec,

Canada Application September 26, 1929, Serial No. 395,414 Renewed May 20, 1933 9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in auto matic train pipe connectors, and particularly to the supporting mechanism of such devices. Among the objects is to provide a connector support having a bracket of extreme simplicity for attaching the connector to the car coupler lug. Another object is to form the lower portion of this bracket, and the connecter body or carrier, so that the coupling head may move to extreme l0 lateral and vertical positions, the supporting spring of the connecter being compressed during such movement by a bell crank type of universal joint located adjacent the lower end of the bracket. In the drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my improved train pipe coupling;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional front elevation on approximately the line 3-3 of Figure 1. In this view a part of the lug is shown in section, and

Figure 4 is a transverse section throug l the carrier member showing the parts as they appear when turned to a position at a right angle to the longitudinal direction of the connector.

7 Any suitable type of train pipe coupling head may be carried by my improved support. I show a conventional form of butt face wing type head A pressed on or otherwise secured to the member or carrier 13. This carrier comprises a hollow forward end 5, which extends through the coupling head A, and a pair of rearwardly extending laterally spaced straps or bars 6 which loosely span the lower end of the bracket C and the forward end of the tie rod D. Within the hollow portion '2 of the carrier, and preferably extending laterally therefrom, I removably mount, as by the spring actuated plunger pin 8, a suitable tubular conduit or fitting 9 having at its forward end an air expanded gasket 10. The usual train pipe hose 11 is suitably connected to this fitting.

At their rear end the straps or bars 6 terminate in a flange or abutment 12 the front face of which is provided with a V shaped recess or e5 opening leisee especially Figure 2-by means of which the flange spans or grips the bracket C above and below the seat 15 of the bracket. Said seat 15 is formed by offsetting the portion 16 of the bracket rearwardly as shown in Figures 1 and a particularly. Such rearward offset of the portion forms a bell crank or extension which extends through the opening 4 in the abutment 12, and cooperates with the abutment to position the carrier vertically on the bracket. When the connecter head A and carrier B are swung to a position at a right angle to the track see especially Figure ithe bell crank 16 causes the supporting or buffer spring E to be furth r compressed. This is due to the fact that when the parts are swung as stated, the crank 16 60 or the head of the tie rod D will press against the side of the flange 12 and force the carrier laterally which causes one of the surfaces 14 on the carrier to slide over the bracket thus exerting a cam action on the carrier. Obviously when the force which swung the coupling head to this position is removed the tension of the supporting spring E will return the carrier and coupling head to the normal position shown in Figure 1. It will be noted that the distance from the center of the seat 15 of the bracket to the top of the flange or abutment 12 is considerably greater than the distance from such center to the bottom of the flange. This arrangement gives the spring E greater resistance to downward movement of the coupling head than it has to upward movement thereof, the difference being sufiicient to compensate for the weight of the coupling head and any attachments thereto.

Extending vertically from the flange or abut: ment 12, I provide vertically disposed Webs 17 which join the flange and the bars 6 and greatly increase the strength of the bars at their point of connection with the flange. The tie rod D is provided with an elongated perforated forward end 18 which is passed upwardly over the bracket into the seat 15, the opening in the end 18 of the tie rod being sufilciently large to permit of this assembly. Surrounding the tie rod and mounted with its forward end in a rearwardly extending housing on the abutment or flange 12 and with its rear end bearing against an adjustable stop member 19 on the tie rod, I mount the aforesaid supporting spring E, the stop member being provided with a forwardly extending sleeve 20 which closely receives the spring. This sleeve and the housing on the abutment 12 prevent undue lateral deflection or kinking of the coils of the spring when the same is compressed. The coiled spring E is preferably of uniform diameter and the sleeve 2o fits inside the coil while the housing on the abutment 12 fits around the outside of the coil. The arrangement of the housing and the sleeve is such that they may if desired telescope when theconnecters couple up. To prevent the connecter falling off of the bracket in case the tie rod E should break, I mount a pin 21 firmly in an opening in the lower end of the bracket. The pin extends laterally of the bracket and may of course be formed integral therewith if desired.

When opposing connecters couple under a combined condition of extreme lateral and vertical disalignment there is a marked tendency for the coupling head A to rotate upon its longitudinal axis. It is most desirable to prevent such rotation beyond a limited amount during the coupling act, and desirable to permit considerable of such rotation while the connecters are coupled. It will be noted that rotation of the coupling head while in the normal uncoupled position is prevented by the spanning arrangement or engagement of the bracket in the V shaped recesses 14 at the top and bottom of the flange or abutment 12 and on the front face thereof. It will also be noted that when an automatic connecter supported by my improved support is coupled up in service, the carrier member B may move to a very considerable extent vertically on the forward end of the spring E Without substantial movement of the tie rod D on its seat 15. To get the maximum advantage from this movement it is advisable to make the abutment 12 of a depth equalling about the thickness of one coil of the spring, in order to permit the forward coils of the spring to deflect or yield when the housing shifts vertically or laterally relative to the tie rod.

It will be noted in Figure 4 that the spread of the recess 14 in the abutment 12 is such as to bring the extreme outer edge of the recess to a point to one side of the vertical center line of the bracket. This is in order to assure accurate re-positioning of the parts when the connecter swings from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 1.

The connection between the bracket 0 and the lug 22 of the car coupler is of very rugged construction. It consists of turning the upper end 23 of the bracket to a right angle to the vertical, and passing it through an opening in the lug, such opening being at the upper end of a slot formed in the lug which embraces the upper end of the bracket to support the same against swinging movement on the lug. A suitable nut, or other clamping means 24, firmly anchors the bracket to the lug.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising in combination, a coupling head, a bracket, a carrier connected to the head and including spaced members which span said bracket and terminate at their rear end in an abutment having portions which embrace the bracket above and below said spaced members, a spring for sustaining the coupling head, and a tie rod engaging said bracket and extending rearwardly therefrom to anchor the spring to the bracket, and cooperating means on the bracket and carrier for drawing said tie rod forward and compressing the spring when the coupling head is moved to extreme lateral positions, said means including a forwardly flaring surface on said abutment.

2. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising, in combination, a coupling head, a carrier therefor secured to the head and extending rearwardly therefrom, and comprising spaced portions, a bracket spanned by said spaced portions of the carrier and having a seat thereon, a tie rod embracing the bracket and pivotally engaging said seat, a spring surrounding the tie rod and pressing said carrier against the bracket when said head is free from a mating head, said head and carrier being capable of swinging laterally around said bracket into a position at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the connecter when force is applied thereto, said carrier having an inclined cam surface thereon in position to bear against and slide over the bracket when the carrier is swung around the bracket, said cam surface acting to automatically return the carrier to its normal position when the force is removed.

3. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising, in combination, a coupling head, a carrier therefor secured to the head and extending rearwardly therefrom, and comprising spaced portions, a bracket spanned by said spaced portions of the carrier and having a seat thereon, a tie rod embracing the bracket and pivotally engagin said seat, a spring surrounding the tie rod and pressing said carrier against the bracket when said head is free from a mating head, said head and carrier being capable of swinging laterally around said bracket into a position at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the connecter when force is applied thereto, said carrier having on its rear end a forwardly facing V-shaped surface arranged to bear against the rear surface of the bracket, means for causing lateral movement of the carrier relative to the bracket when the carrier and head are swung as aforesaid, whereby one or the other sides of said V-shaped surface is caused to slide over the bracket and exert a cam action to cause automatic return of the carrier to its normal position when the force is removed.

4. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising, in combination, a coupling head, a carrier therefor secured to said head and extending therefrom and comprising spaced portions, a flange secured between said spaced portions, a bracket extending downwardly between said spaced portions and positioned in front of said 115 flange, said flange having an opening therein, said bracket having an offset portion extending rearwardly into said opening when said flange is forced forwardly against said bracket, a tie rod engaging said offset portion on the bracket and 120 extending rearwardly through said opening, a coiled spring mounted on said tie rod and engaging said flange for forcing the same forwardly, said oifset portion of the bracket being arranged to cause said flange to move laterally on the 125 bracket when said carrier is swung laterally about the bracket, said flange having on each side of the bracket a forwardly inclined surface for exerting a cam action to cause automatic return of the carrier to its normal position.

5. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising a coupling head, a carrier therefor secured to said head and extending rearwardly, a bracket spanned by said carrier, said carrier having an abutment provided with a seat in which the bracket normally rests, the front surface of said abutment on either side of said seat being inclined forwardly, means for moving said abutment laterally of the bracket when the carrier is rotated to an extreme position in either direction around the bracket, whereby the bracket is caused to rest against one of said inclined surfaces, and a spring bearing against said abutment and tending to return the same and the carrier to its normal position.

6. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising a coupling head, a carrier therefor secured to said head and extending rearwardly, a bracket spanned by said carrier, said carrier having an abutment provided with a seat in which 150 the bracket normally rests, the front face of said abutment on either side of said seat being inclined forwardly, means for moving said abutment laterally of the bracket when the carrier as a whole is rotated in either direction around the bracket, whereby the bracket is caused to rest against one of said inclined surfaces, and a spring adapted to press said abutment against said bracket.

7. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising a coupling head, a carrier therefor secured to said head and extending rearwardly, a bracket spanned by said carrier, said carrier hav ing an abutment adjacent its rear end, said abutment having a V-shaped front face in which said bracket is adapted to rest, a spring for holding said abutment against the bracket, and means for moving the abutment laterally of the bracket when the carrier is rotated about the bracket, whereby the bracket is caused to rest against one side of said V-shaped front face.

8. An automatic train pipe connecter comprising, in combination, a coupling head, a support therefor including a bracket, a coiled spring arranged rearwardly of the bracket, said coiled spring being of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length, a tie rod arranged in said spring and pivotally connected to said bracket, means for preventing excessive lateral deflection of the coils of said spring, said means comprising a cylindrical member surrounding a plurality of the front coils of said spring, and a sleeve arranged Within a plurality of the rear coils of said spring and having a diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of said coiled spring.

9. A construction as specified in claim 8 in which said cylindrical member and sleeve are arranged to telescope with each other when said coiled spring is compressed.

JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

